Postcard and photos of Saint Rabbi Raphael
Encaoua, whose hiloula is
celebrated in the cemetery of Sale.

Sale

Rabat's sister city of Sale had its own mellah.
It was an important center of Jewish intellectual
thought. The main door to the mellah and the
beautiful Medersa were constructed by the
Merenids, who had close ties to the Jews. Sale's
most famous rabbi, Raphael Encaoua, is buried in
the Sale cemetery. His tomb is the focus of a
major hiloula.

El Jadida (Mazagan)

In El Jadida, south of Casablanca, the 18th
century Portuguese citadel later served as the
Jewish quarter. It is possible to climb the
bastions, where a star of David can be seen on an
abandoned synagogue, which was converted from a
Portuguese court house. Next to the Portuguese
city is a large Jewish cemetery. The tombstones
of Jewish translators and employees of foreign
consuls demonstrates the Jewish role in 19th
century trade with Europe. The saint Yahia
Assouline is buried in this cemetery.

Essaouira (Mogador)

Essaouira's mellah covers over 10 percent of the
town, but Jews constituted almost 40 percent of
the population in the late 1880's. Jewish stars
on the doors to the mellah show the degree to
which Jews were accepted in Essaouira, to the
point that some of the richer Jews did not even
live in the mellah. Commemorative plaques
indicate the buildings in which synagogues were
located. Former inhabitants of Essaouira, most of
them Jewish, formed a committee to rehabilitate
the town. An important member of the committee is
King Hassan II's Economic Advisor, Andre Azoulay.
The Jewish cemetery, just outside the city gates,
is extremely well-kept. The hiloula of Chaim
Pinto is held in September.